Carl May was born on Friday the 25th
February 1842 at 10 PM, and baptized the next day at the Evangelic-Lutheran
Church of St.Trinity [St. Trinitatis] in Ernstthal. The Godparents were
master weaver Carl Gottlob Planer (1792–1859), Miss Chr. Friederike Esche
(dates of birth and death unknown), and the apprentice smith Christian
Friedrich Weissflog (1819–1894). He is the fifth child of the 32 years old
weaver Heinrich August May and his 27 years old wife Christiane Wilhelmine,
born Weise. There was a big misery in the household of the May's family -
bitter poverty, many a time even hunger. From his four sisters born only the
four-year old Auguste Wilhelmine was still alive.

In this year there »was a very dry and hot summer. From
the sowing time on there was no rain for six to seven weeks and almost the
whole summer the weather brought no rain. General shortage of water appeared
so that much of the grain could not be ground and consequently was only cut.
... Live stock suffered extremely and most cattle became emaciated and weak
and had to be slaughtered. …«

Ernstthal,Niedergasse 122(heute Karl-May-Haus)

1843

Because of
»lack of suitable cattle for slaughter [a] high price of the meat« came
about. The situation of the ›Weaver's misery‹ could be
compared with the state of affairs at present in the developing countries –
ideal conditions for diseases caused by lack of vitamins and infections;
this will also be Karl May's fate.

Ernstthal,Niedergasse 122

1844

28th May: Karl
May's sister Christiane Wilhelmine was born, the later Mrs. Schöne. In
Hohenstein and Ernstthal great hunger is still present: »Yes
there in fact happened recently cases here, that people, who were ashamed to
beg, literally died from hunger. Because it is not so rare, particularly in
families with many children, that often for many days there is not even a
piece of bread to consume and a few potatoes cooked in jacket and eaten with
salt often represent the only nourishment of these unfortunates. But in
quite many families the potatoes are also gone, or are running short, and
then is the full suffering from hunger and begging unavoidable … It is
indeed heartbreaking, to observe these pityful unfortunates with pale and
gaunt faces, with troubled deep sunk eyes, from which every spark of
liveliness is extinguished, … to drag themselves like shadows, …«
Lack of vitamin A was the most likely cause of Karl May's disturbed vision –
(blindness in diminished light condition, hemeralopia). From now on he was
heavily visually handicapped – the beginning of Xerophthalmia threatened his
eyesight.

Ernstthal,Niedergasse 122

1845

Karl May's
condition got worse: his eye lids are closed and swollen (Blepharitis), an
inflammatory Blepharospasm follows. He could not open his eyes for prolonged
periods of time. He is therefore blind and forgets to see. He could not
remember later his previous visual impressions. Good doctors are out of
reach financially, there was not yet any public health insurance in
existence. May complains in his autobiography Mein Leben und Streben
[My Life and Aspirations] about the »ruinous quackery« to which he fell a
victim. Most probably were his closed eye lids quite ineffectively treated
with ointments and eye bandages: the so far small chance to see even though
for a short time, was in this way fully undone.I could
easily feel people and objects, to hear, also to smell; however that was not
enough to imagine them in reality and form. I could have only guessed. How a
person, a dog, a table looked, I did not know; I could have only made a
picture in the inside of them, and such picture remained in my mind. When
someone spoke I heard not his body but his soul. Not his outside but his
inside came closer to me. Karl was in constant care of
his grandmother Johanne Christiane May, the mother of his father. She left a
deep impression on his way of thinking and the sensual world of the boy with
her fairy tales romantic. The following months became the source of May's
very rich phantasy. Moving into the house of a weaver Carl
August Knobloch. On the 15th August starts a six months
midwifery course for May's mother. .

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 183

1846

13th February:
May's mother sat for examinations in midwifery at the Surgical-Medical
Academy (Kurländer Palais) in Dresden with an »excellent pass«. The eyes of
her blind boy were also succesfully attended there by Professors Haase and
Grenser – Karl May learned to see.
(Oil painting by Torsten Hermann).

For me there were only souls,
nothing but souls. And so it stayed, even after I learned to see, from my
youth on until the present day. This is the difference between myself and
the others. This is the key to my books. This is the explanation to all,
what is praiseworthy on me, and to all what is to blame in me. Only who was
blind and who regained his sight again, and only who possesses such a deep
founded and such a mighty inner world that he himself afterwards, when he
could see again and for the rest of his life masters his whole external
world, only he can identify with all what I planned, what I have done and
what I wrote, and only he has the ability to critise me, and noone else!
Latest research points to it that in Dresden also the rickets, caused
through lack of vitamin D, were treated succesfully. In regard to this May
writes in his autobiography: I learned to see and returned, as for the
rest recovered as well, home. On the 19th March May's
mother was engaged as a midwife by the Ernstthal council.

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 183

1847

Karl May was
torn away from the world of fairy tales of his grandmother. The rough
education methods of his father shook May's psyche as from now:On the weaver's stool hung a three times twisted rope, which was leaving
blue marks, and behind the oven was the well-known »Johny-the birch«,
especially feared by us children, because father was fond of soaking it
before thrashing us in a big pot with warm water, to make it more elastic
and painful. 2nd June: His sister Ernestine Pauline was
born.

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 183

1848

Easter: Karl May entered school. The classes in the Ernstthal primary school
are overcrowded; one teacher had approximately 90 pupils to teach. What Karl
did not learn there, his father hammered into him. The boy should have it
better in life. In such way Karl was forced in the following years to read
innumerable, partly scientific books, ordered by his father. The spare free
time Karl spent with his godfather, the widely travelled master smith
Christian Weißpflog, listening to his exotic tales.

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 183

1849

Karl May became
a drummer boy with the 7th Militia company of Ernstthal, in which his father
served as lance-corporal. His father exercised and drilled him in various
war games. 9th June: May's sister Karoline Wilhelmine was
born, the later Mrs. Selbmann.

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 183

1850

Ferry's ›Le Coureur des Bois‹ [Der Waldläufer] is
published, which May twenty-nine years later reworked for young readers.

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 183

1851

Presumably in
this year: moving into the house of master weaver Selbmann.
Puppet theater in Ernstthal: Now came the day in which a
world open to me, that never let me go loose again. The theater arrived.
Even if only a quite ordinary, miserable puppet show, but nevertheless a
theater. They performed in master weaver's house. The best places were three
pennies, than two pennies, and the next one penny, children paid half. I was
allowed to attend with my grandmother. This cost us fifteen Pfennigs for
both of us. They performed: »The Miller's Rose or the Battle at Jena.« My
eyes burned; I was glowing inside. Puppets, puppets, puppets! However for me
they were alive. [My Life and Aspirations, p.55.] 7th
April: Birth of a brother Heinrich Wilhelm; he died already a few months
later on the 20th September. On the 30th November died Christiane Friederike
Weise, May's grandmother on mother's side, 64 years old.

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 185

1852

16th August: May's sister Anna Henriette was born; she also died much too
soon, a few weeks old, on the 4th September.

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 185

1853

The
aggravating education mistake started by May's father, to hammer the
›knowledge‹ into his son, may have in this year reached the first high
point. Karl May writes in the so appropriately named chapter Without
Youth in his autobiography:He brought all possible
so called learning material together, without being able to make a choice or
to set an orderly line to follow. He brought everything my way what he
found. I had to read this or even to copy it, because he thought that in
such way I could remember it better. What had I to go all through! Old
prayer books, arithmetic books, biology writings, scientific treatises from
which I did not understand one word. A German geography from the year 1802,
over 500 pages thick, I had to transcribe in order to remember better the
data. They of course were no longer valid! I sat whole days and half the
nights long, to cram these useless, unnecessary stuff into my head. It was
an overload and excessive load unparalleled. [My Life and Aspirations,
p.53]

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 185

1854

Karl May is
getting privately language tutoring, which he must finance himself. Twelve
years old by now, he has to work as a skittle boy in the neighbouring
Hohenstein in a pub Engelhardt – sometimes until midnight! There he hit upon
the lending library: ›Rinaldo Rinaldini, the Chief of Robbers‹ – ›Himlo
Himlini, the Chief of Robbers in Spain …‹ – ›Sallo Salini, the Most
Formidable Chief of Robbers …‹, are the names of his heroes who became his
imaginary idols. 5th May: Birth of his brother Karl Hermann,
who dies already on the 15th August.

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 185

1855

3rd July: May's brother Karl Heinrich was born; this child also dies after a
short time on the 30th October.

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 185

1856

Flight from
reality!The book, which I read, had the title »The
Robber's Den in Sierra Morena or the Angel of All the Outcasts«. When father
came home and then went to sleep, I got out of bed, sneaked away from the
room and got dressed. Then I wrote a note: »You don't have to work out your
hands until they bleed; I am going to Spain, I bring help!« I put this note
on the table, stuck a piece of dry bread into my pocket with a few pennies
from my skittle job, went down the steps, opened the door, took once more a
deep and sobbed breath, but quietly, quietly, so that noone could hear, and
went then with subdued steps down the market place and the Niedergasse out,
the Lungwitzer way, which led over Lichtenstein to Zwickau, towards Spain,
into Spain, the land of noble robbers, who helped those in need. – – –
[My Life and Aspirations, p.79] Karl did not go far, his
worried father brought him home.I have never felt more
clearly as then, how he really loved me. [p.93] Palm
Sunday, the 16th March: Karl May was confirmed. Michaelis.
29th September: He became a Proseminarist at the Teacher's Institute in
Waldenburg.The lessons were cold, strong, hard. Any
trace of poetry was missing. Instead of making one happy, to inspire, it
repeled. The lessons in religion were such that one could not have become
enthusiastic about them in the least. [p.95] On the
22nd November Emma Lina Pollmer was born, May's first wife, in Hohenstein;
her mother died on the 4th December because of puerperal sepsis.

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 185

Waldenburg

1857

Karl May fell in love with the fifteen year old Anna Preßler from Ernstthal.
He composed words and wrote music for a love song, which he played for her
on a guitar:

Away from you,I am with youAnd wherever you are,You are with
me.

To let go off you,this I can not do,'cause you are my
everything,you are the light of my life!

21st November: May's sister Maria Lina was born; she died on the 13th
December.

Waldenburg

1858

In July the
sixteen year old Anna Preßler marries a shopkeeper Carl Hermann Zacharias,
by whom she expects a child. The grief stays deep in Karl May, he will never
get over it. May writes his first Indian story and sends it
to the ›Gartenlaube‹ magazine. Ernst Keil, the editor, rejects the – today
lost – early work.

Waldenburg

1859

In November May is on duty responsible for lightings at the Teacher's
Institute in Waldenburg. At this opportunity he embezzles six candles, which
he intends to use for a X-mas tree in the wretched parent's house. On the
21st and 22nd December this affair is investigated by the director of the
Institute, Schütze.

Waldenburg

1860

28th January:
Expelled from the Teacher's Institute. 4th March: May's
sister Emma Maria is born;she died on the 5th August. 6th
March: Supported by Ernstthal parish priest Schmidt, May submits a plea for
mercy to the Saxonian Ministry of Education. The director of the Institute
Schuetze, who in the meantime regrets his harshness, supplies a positive
recommendation. 4th June: May is allowed to continue with
his education at the Teacher's Institute in Plauen. There he suffers, as
many of his school mates do, from the spying system of the school directors;
they are interested in the intimate sexual life of the students.

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 185

Plauen

1861

9th,10th. and
12th September: May completed his final examinations. 13th
September: His leaving certificate had the final mark »passed«.
May is active as a temporary teacher only from 7th October until 19th
October in Glauchau. It came to a jealousy scene with his room landlord
Ernst Theodor Meinhold. The businessman surprised May, as he kissed his
nineteen-year old wife Henriette, whom he was giving piano lessons. Meinhold
reported this romance to the superintendent Carl Wilhelm Otto – Karl May was
dismissed on the spot.

His next teacher's position became May's undoing. In Altchemnitz, where he
worked from 6th November as a factory teacher at the Firma Solbrig, he had
to share his living quarters, a room and a bedroom, with their book-keeper
Julius Hermann Scheunpflug.He had until now both this
to himself; and now I was to lodge with him … Because of that he lost his
comfort … He got from his parents a new pocket watch. The old one, which he
now no longer needed, hung unused on a nail on the wall. It was worth at the
most twenty marks. He offered it to me to buy, because I had none; however I
declined, because if I wanted to buy sometime a watch, it would have to be a
new, better one. Of course this was far in the future, as I had to pay off
first my debts. Now he himself made a proposal to me to take his old watch,
when I go to school, as I was obliged to be punctual. I agreed and was
thankful to him for that. At the beginning I hang the watch, as soon as I
came back from school, immediately back on the nail. Later it was postponed
for a while; I kept it for hours in my pocket, because to show all the time,
that it does not belong to me, seemed to me not diligent, but ridiculous. In
the end I took it even when I went out and hung it only in the evening,
after I came home, in its place and position. A really friendly or even
cordial relation never eventuated between us. He tolerated me because he had
to and let me from time to time deliberately notice, that he does not like
sharing the flat. [Life, p.103f.] The X-mas holiday
started.On the 24th December May hurries directly from school to the railway
station and travels home; he takes the watch with him. There he is arrested.
He is supposed to have stolen the watch, a tobacco pipe and a cigaret holder
from his flat mate. May is dismayed:I started foolishly
to deny the possession of the watch; however it was found after a search. So
the lie destroyed me instead of saving me; that she does every time; I was a
– - – thief! [p.107] May's description is credible.
Through the intrique of the book-keeper innocent in custody – professional
career ruined! This event had an effect on me like a blow, like a blow
on the head, under which force one breaks down. And I collapsed!
[p.109]

Plauen

Glauchau

Altchemnitz

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 185

1862

May was most
probably – the proceedings have not survived – sentenced because of
»unlawful use of someone else's possession« according to Art. 330, Abs. 3,
[German Law]. The highest punishment was imposed: six weeks imprisonment.
Clemency petition was refused. From the 8th September till
the 20th October: Stay in prison at Chemnitz. According to
the present interpretation of law May would not have been imprisoned. This
fatal blow resulted in permanent ban on becoming a teacher.6th December:
May was called for military service examination and found »unfit for
service«.

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 185

1863

May performed at »music – poetic evening
entertainments« in Ernstthal. His living he made by private tutoring. On the
12th February he was reported because of this to the teacher's college; the
school inspection found out about this through a letter of Ernstthaler's
priest Schmidt from 20st March. 20th June: May's name was
removed from the list of the Saxonian teacher's candidates. To give private
lessons was explicitly forbidden to him. His civilian existence was destined
to fail.It was as if I had brought home from the prison
cell in which I spent six long weeks, a whole crowd of invisible criminal
characters, who made it their business to settle down with me and make me
one of them. I did not see them; I saw only the darkest, sneering main
figure from the domestic swamp and from Hohenstein's trash novels; they
talked to me, they influenced me. And when I struggled against, they became
louder to stun and wear me out, in order to loose my strength to resist. The
main idea was for me to take revenge, revenge on the owner of the watch who
reported me, only to get me out from his flat, revenge on the Police,
revenge on the judge, revenge on the Government, on humankind,altogether on
everyone! I was an exemplary person, white, pure and innocent like a lamb.
The world cheated me out of my future, my life happiness. How? By remaining
what they have made out of me, namely a criminal. This was
what the tempters inside me asked me to do … I resisted as much as I could,
as far as my strength lasted. I gave to all, what I wrote at that time, in
particular to my village stories, an ethical, a strongly law abiding, a
faithful-to-king tendency. I did that to prop up not only others,but also
myself. But how hard, how endlessly hard it was for me! When I did not do as
the loud voices inside me asked to do, I was overwhelmed from them by
scornful laughter, by swearing and curses, lasting not only for hours, but
for half days and whole nights long. I jumped from my bed, to escape these
voices, and ran out into the rain and snowstorm. [Life, p.117f.]
That May really suffered from considerable psychological disturbances, ran
out at night in the rain, shows his from that time originating poem:

Do you know the Night, descending on Earth,
With hollow wind and heavy deluge;Thick Night, through which starshine
is given no berth,No eyes see through the weather's dense wall?Even
if this Night is gloom, in morning there is refuge;O lie down in rest
and sleep without fear!

Do you know the Night, descending on Life,
When Death tracks you down in your last camp;The call of eternity
sounding close by,And fear stops still your heart's pulsing call?
Even if this Night is gloom, in morning there is a refuge;O lie down in
rest and sleep without fear!

Do you know the Night descending on your Mind,
Which cries in vain, Salvation!Night's serpent slithers into memory
And a thousand demons spit in your brain?O keep away in sleepless
consternation,Because this is The Night that has no morning!

At first May struggles succesfully against these
»thousand devils«. He writes for the Ernstthal's choir ›Lyra‹ a whole series
of his own musical pieces..

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 185

1864

May is registered to stay in Nausslitz near
Dresden. Nothing is known about this time. In the second half of the year he
most probably trails a theater group through Saxony and maintains as well
amorous relationship with a ballerina from the theater – and ballet group H.
Jerwitz from Leipzig. Nearly 21 months passed since May's six-week detention
in Chemnitz. Now he lost his composure:This night
[in my soul] was not completely dark, it had twilight. And strangely it
reached only the soul, but not the spirit. I was sick in my soul, but not in
my mind. I had the capability to reach logical conclusions, to solve every
mathematical problem. I had the most acute insight into all what was outside
myself, but as soon as this came close, to enter into a relation, the
understanding ceased. I was not in a position to look at myself, to
understand myself, to guide myself and to manage. [Life, p.111]
The »thousand devils« led Karl May on the 9th July to Penig. There he called
himself »Dr. med. Heilig«, »Eye doctor« and »previously with the military«
from Rochlitz. He had pieces of clothing made to measure and disappeared
without paying. Before that he wrote a prescription in Latin for a young man
with sore eyes. 16th December: In Chemnitz May emerges as
»Seminary teacher Ferdinand Lohse« and rents in a hotel ›Zu goldener Anker‹
two interconnected rooms. There he had delivered various ladies furcoats. He
takes them into the next room to a »sick Director« and disappears then with
the furs.

Naußlitzbei Dresden

1865

28th February:
In Gohlis May lives at a steelworker Schule. On the 20th March he looks up,
as »Coppersmith Hermes« the Godfather of thieves and merchants, the furrier
Friedrich Erler and relieves him from a castor fur. A day later May pawns
the fur with an unsuspecting broker in Leihhaus. During an attempt to
collect the proceeds May was seized on the 26th March in Rosenthal, a park
area between Gohlis and Leipzig, when a hatchet »under his jacket was seen
to glitter.« At the office room he is »quite motionless and
apparantly lifeloss and also, after the Police doctor was called in, he did
not speak.« Such an apathy recorded on files makes one think! Some time
passed until May reacted to talking to and confessed all. 8th June: Karl
May was sentenced by district court in Leipzig »because of repeated frauds«
to four years and one month in penitentiary. On the 14th June he was
delivered to the prison ›Schloß Osterstein‹. May is now a prisoner »No.
171«. He was detailed to an office, failed however such duties because of
psychological weakness. 19th September: May's
fairy-tales-story grandmother dies 85 years old.

Gohlis

Zwickau,Schloss Osterstein

1866

May is detailed to making money- and cigar wallets.

Zwickau,Schloss Osterstein

1867

The supervisor
Friedrich Göhler discovers May's music talent. May advances to trombone
player and becomes a member of the prisoner's church chorus. Presumably
towards the end of the year he is named a »special clerk« to the Inspector
Kreil and transferred into an isolation block. The voluminous prison's
library changes his imprisonment time into a study time.

Zwickau,Schloss Osterstein

1868

Literary draft
appears: the Repertorium C. May. 2nd November: May is,
because of good behaviour, »as the result of the very most clemency«,
released from jail 253 days earlier than originally anticipated – with a
certificate of trustworthiness. At home he finds out about the death of his
fairy-tales-story grandmother. This news disturbes again his psychological
equilibrium.The previous suffering started again, the
previous torture, the previous struggle with incomprehensible forces, which
were even more dangerous as I could absolutely not discover, if they were
parts of myself or not. … they demanded as before, that I should take
revenge. Now even with a right to revenge myself, for the lost, precious
time in jail! [Life, p.157] May tries to escape these
»incomprehensible forces«. He writes for the Dresden's publisher Münchmeyer
some texts which today are lost.

Zwickau,Schloss Osterstein

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 185

1869

About the
beginning of the year May gets to know a housemaid Auguste Gräßler from
Raschau. From this acquaintance develops a love affair. On
the 29th March May conducts a search in Wiederau as a »Police lieutenant
from Wolframsdorf at Leipzig« at shopkeeper's Carl Reimann premises for
counterfeit money. Allegedly finding some, he takes Reiman for
»Interrogation« to an inn and disappears then without a trace.
10th April: May searches again for counterfeit money at the house of a
rope-maker Krause in Ponitz. The action fails. May gains a standoff with an
unloaded double barreled pocket pistol and resorts to »flight across a
field.« He keeps always disguised and wears false beards. In Ernstthal he
gives the impression that he emigrated to America. From the
3rd May to the 5th May he is in Jöhstadt; there he visits in the evening of
3rd May the theater. Whitsuntide, 16-17th May: In
Schwarzenberg May meets for the last time his sweetheart Ausguste Gräßler.
On the 27/28th May makes the Eisenhöhle [a cave in the forest], north from
Hohenstein, his place where he stays. With a pram (!) he transports odd
objects in there, which he was supposed to steal from his godfather
Weißpflog. 31st. May: In Limbach May takes a set of billiard
balls from the restaurant of Victor Reinhard Wünschmann and departs to
Chemnitz to sell them, however this failed due to alertness of two
policemen. 3./4th June: In a stable in Bräunsdorf May steals
from the owner of the inn Schreier a horse together with a snaffle, riding
crop and neck straps; then he rides off. A few hours later his attempt to
sell the horse to a slaughterman fails. 15th June: In Mülsen
St. Jacob May puts an appearence as the »Deputy of the lawyer Dr. Schaffrath
in Dresden« and entices the baker Wappler to go to Glachau in a matter of
inheritance. Meanwhile May introduces himself to his wife who stayed home as
a Policeman and confiscates 28 Talers as »counterfeit money«.
At the end of June May steals from the bowling alley of the restaurant
Engelhardt in Hohenstein a towel and a cigar pipe. On the 2nd July, at night
at 3 AM, he is discovered there sleeping and »after a short struggle«
overpowered and taken to jail in Wiederau. 5th and 15th
July: Confrontations at Wiederau and Mülsen St.Jacob. 26th July: On the way
to a further confrontation at Braeunsdorf May escapes his guard ; he should
have broken his »iron handcuffs«. Despite a big search action in the forests
of Hohenstein on the 6th and 7th August May stays at large.In late
summer he emerges in Siegeldorf by Halle. He introduces himself as »Writer
Heichel from Dresden«, later as the »natural son of the Prince von
Waldenburg«, and meets the housekeeper Malwine Wadenbach, whom he might have
known from before. Further May's presence is known at Ellersleben, Plößnitz
and Coburg.

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 185

Eisenhöhle(Karl-May-Höhle)

1870

4th January: At
Niederalgersdorf (Bohemia) May is seized as a tramp in a barn. He calls
himself »Albin Wadenbach«, landowner from Orby on the island of Martinique,
West Indies. A photograph had him convicted. 14th March: May
is brought into jail at Mittweida. On the 13th April he is sentenced by the
district court at Mittweida: »by him deserved, because of simple and cunning
thefts, frauds, and frauds under aggravating circumstances, also for
repeated unlawful theft and falsification, in due consideration of him being
a habitual offender, sentenced to a jail term of 4 years and repayment of
the investigation expenses.« As the respected legal expert
Professor Dr. Claus Roxin established, it could not be excluded, »that May
suffered from disturbances of consciousness, which would exclude his
criminal responsibility in the sense of paragrraph 51 StGB [German Law] or
at least considerably decrease his responsibility.« [Karl May: Criminal Law
and Literature, Tübingen 1997, p.47.] Following a medical
study by Dr. William E. Thomas, an Australian physician, May suffered from
Dissociative Identity Disorder and was therefore not legally responsible for
his actions. The psychiatrist and neurologist Edgar Bayer
(from a clinic in Guenzburg) made an assumption of an ›asocial personality
disorder‹ during the drifting period in May’s life, resulting therefore in a
diminished responsibility. Whatever the emotional state of
Karl May could have been, the damage which May caused by his offences,
reached altogether not even 1000 (one thousand) Marks. »May had later, when
he earned money, given away to the needy many thousands Marks, and also
earnings and income from his books was left to a Foundation for writers with
no monetary means. Also the honest content,« as Claus Roxin points out, »of
his books as a basic thought – does not correspond with the previous
accusation«. 3rd May: Commencement of jail term in
penitentiary Waldheim. May is now a prisoner ›No. 402‹ and comes into
isolation. At least for 13 hours daily he works as a cigar maker. Probably
at first ›No. 402‹ does not fulfil his work assignment, as he is presumably
because of this disciplinary punished by reduced pay.

Böhmen

Mittweida

Waldheim

1871

A literary work
by May is according to the prison rules at Waldheim fully excluded! »Writing
material will be granted to the prisoners in each individual case in the
necessary quantity by the Institution on receiving of payment, as will the
envelope, in which every letter must be included. To bring more writing
material is forbidden. Every prisoner has to return back so much paper as he
was given, written on or clear, as well as ink and pencils.« [Paragraph 50]

Waldheim

1872

The prison's
catechist Johannes Kochta became May's fatherly friend. Meeting with
Catholics left in May a lasting impression; he discovered himself.
29th April: May's 25 year old sister Ernestine Pauline dies in Ernstthal.

Waldheim

1873

Even if a Lutheran, May plays the organ at Catholic mass-services.

Waldheim

1874

May is until the beginning of March occupied in
the prison library. 2nd May: Release from prison. May is put
for the next two years under Police supervision. Reflections in his later
writings point at him working at first as a blacksmith's helper at his
Godfather Weißpflog. In summer he writes Die Rose von Ernstthal.

Waldheim

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 185

1875

May's novel Die Rose von Ernstthal
published from November 1874 by Hermann Oeser in Neusalza, could have been
the reason for publisher H. G. Münchmeyer to visit May, whom he he had known
since the 1860's. His editor Otto Freitag quit after an argument; Münchmeyer
needed urgently a replacement. 8th March: May moves as
›Editor‹ to Dresden-Altstadt; lives in Jagdweg, where the publishing firm is
situated. There he is editing a family journal ›Der
Beobachter an der Elbe‹. Münchmeyer always calls May in front of his
employees »Doctor«. This title which May later kept using, has not changed
anything on the fact that on the 24th March he was evicted from Dresden.
May, who for a good one year yet was under Police supervision, was not
allowed to leave Hohenstein and Ernstthal without permission!
May continues to edit the Münchmeyer's ›Beobachter‹ from Ernstthal. There
appears from the end of May his novel Wanda. Further he prepared
for his publisher major parts of the Buch der Liebe, a follow up of
the notorious ›Venustempel‹ (A story of Prostitution and its Origin), which
was prohibited since December 1874 in Austria and later also in the German
Reich. At the beginning of August May returns to Dresden; an
authorization for his stay there was approved. In the meantime he travels,
among other places to Essen, Dortmund and Berlin, to get subscribers at the
firm Krupp and Borsig for his newly founded journal for workers Schacht
und Hütte. From September May starts instead of the ›Beobachter‹ and
concurrently runs with the Schacht und Hütte a popular magazine
Deutsches Familienblatt. From the middle of October appears May's first
Winnetou story Old Firehand. More stories from this time: Der
Gitano, Inn-nu-woh, Ein Stücklein vom alten Dessauer,
Die Fastnachtsnarren, Geographische Predigten.
May's relationship to his publisher is familiar. For X-mas he was presented
with a piano from Münchmeyer's wife.

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 185

Dresden-Altstadt,Jagdweg 6

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 185

Dresden-Altstadt,Falkenstr. 4,bei der WitweEmma Ros. Vogel.

Dresden-Altstadt,Jagdweg 14

1876

As from the
beginning of September 1875 Karl May lives at Muenchmeyer's residence.
Minna Ey, sister of Pauline Münchmeyer, takes care of May's private
quarters. She should become May's fiance; however the up and coming
succesful author shows not the least interest. 23rd February: House search
at H. G. Münchmeyer. The Police investigate because of unauthorized
selling of the ›Venustempel‹ and the Buch der Liebe. 2nd May:
With this day finishes May's two years of Police supervision. At the
beginning of August May cancelled continuation of a novel ›Fürst und
Junker‹, written by Friedrich Axmann:

To the
readers of »deutschen Familienblattes«, who wish to acquaint themselves
with the later fate of Dietrich von Quitzow until his death, the news
should not come unwelcome, because the author of this topic will start on
the contrary an even more fascinating and equaly moving novel: »Dietrichs
von Quitzow last Journeys«, which will appear in Number 20 of the current
»Feierstunden am häuslichen Heerde«, one in the Münchmeyer Publishing Firm
appearing literary magazine. [Deutsches Familienblatt, No.49, p.770]

The
announced Quitzow-novel started however already in No. 10 of the
Feierstunden under the author's name ›Karl May‹.
In summer May is charged with cooperation on the Buch der Liebe.
Further charged are Münchmeyer's brother Friedrich as publisher, later
also Otto Freitag as editor of the Venustempel. In this situation Pauline
Münchmeyer pushes for marriage with Minna Ey. May was found not guilty;
presumably he made in his Buch der Liebe the deplorable places
milder. At the end of October May leaves his position but still writes
some »necessary manuscripts«. Supposedly at first he wants his Quitzow-novel
to continue, even if he no longer is an editor with Münchmeyer. The
hostility of Pauline because of May's rejection of her sister, which
he could not tolerate, makes these plans impossible. Both May's
Quitzow as well as Axmann's ›Kurfürst‹ (Axmann died since he left
Münchmeyer) will be continued from March 1877 by Dr. Heinrich Goldmann.
After his editor's time May moves for a time into Hohenstein and
Ernstthal. There he falls in love with the attractive Emma Pollmer, who
celebrates on the 22nd November her twentiest birthday. In
the year passed May authored amongst other: Auf den Nußbäumen,
Unter den Werben, Leilet, Der beiden Quitzows letzte
Fahrten, Ausgeräuchert and Im Wollteufel.

Dresden-Altstadt,Jagdweg 14

Pillnitzer Straße 72

1877

May
lives in Pillnitzer St. 72 at widow Groh. During the next months he
writes Die beiden Nachtwächter, Der Dukatenhof,
Die verhängnißvolle Neujahrsnacht, Ziege oder Bock,
Der Samiel, Der Kaiserbauer. On the 26th
May Emma Pollmer follows him to Dresden. She finds a position in the
household of priest-widow Auguste Petzold in Mathildenstrasse 18. Karl
May becomes an editor with the publisher Bruno Radelli for the 2nd
year's edition of a popular magazine ›Frohe Stunden‹; the first number
appears at the end of June. From No. 10 May publishes regularly his
own texts: Der Oelprinz, Die Gum, Ein Abenteuer auf Ceylon, Die
Kriegskasse, Aqua benedetta, Auf der [hoher] See gefangen, Ein
Self-man. At Peter Rosegger appears Die Rose
von Kahira. This story was already published at Münchmeyer the year
before under the title Leilet. Because of the latest publication
Rosseger considers »Mr. Karl May … to be a widely traveled man, who must
have lived in the Orient for a long time.«

Dresden-Altstadt,Pillnitzer Straße 72

1878

From the
beginning of the year May lives in a ground floor flat in
Dresden-Striessen, where Emma keeps the household for him; they were
considered to be a married couple. He writes there for the ›Frohen
Stunden‹: Husarenstreiche, Der Africander, Vom
Tode erstanden, Die Rache des Ehri, Nach Sibirien.
For Peter Rosseger May wrote Die falschen Excellenzen.
26th January: Emil Eduard Pollmer, Emma's alcoholic uncle, dies in
Niederwürschnitz bei Stollberg; in a state of intoxication he was run
over by a horse carriage but managed still to drag himself into a horse
stable of a restaurant ›Zum braven Bergmann‹. The grandfather of Emma,
the barber Christian Gotthilf Pollmer, does not believe it was an
accident. He talked May into investigating. 25th April:
May inquires as a »higher, Government appointed official«. Even if he
does not name any title or service grade, he is accused of falsy
claiming an official status. On the 11th June he was because of that
summoned to Dresden. At the end of June May finished his editor's time
with Radelli. Emma Pollmer moves back to her grandfather in Hohenstein,
Karl May to his parents. Temporarily May should have stayed in Berlin.
It is possible he was looking for a new editor's position.
6th September: Interrogation at the court office at Hohenstein. 15th
October: Interrogation in Stollberg and a confrontation on the 25th
October. May's attitude is indifferent; he forgoes legal help. In summer
and autumn he writes the tales: Des Kindes Ruf, Die
Universalerben, Die Laubthaler and Der Waldkönig.

Dresden-StrießenStraße Nr. 4Villa Forsthaus

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 185

1879

On the 9th
January May is sentenced by the court in Stollberg for »unauthorized
practice of a public office« (in the meaning of paragraph 132 StGB [German
Law]) to three weeks of prison. This sentence is, as the lawyer Erich
Schwinge doubtlessly proved, an incorrect decision. The acts are
preserved. May had in no way undertaken any official business. Protest
(12th May) and clemency request (2nd July) were rejected. From 1st till
22nd September Karl May had to »sit out« his ›penalty‹ in the jailhouse of
the court office in Hohenstein. This disgrace has never stopped being
painful to him, as many examples in his work testify. The
relationship with Emma Pollmer became endangered due to her
unfaithfulness; Karl May stayed presumably with his parents.
His literary activity was shaping more luckily. First contacts with the
catholic weekly ›Deutscher Hausschatz‹ in Regensburg. In the travel story
Unter Würgern comes for the first time the name ›Old
Shatterhand‹. End of November appears in Stuttgart publishing house Franz
Neugebauer his book rework of the Ferry's novel ›Der Waldläufer‹, as well
as his first book for the young readers Im fernen Westen.
Further publications in this year: Ein Dichter, Der
Giftheiner, Three carde monte, Unter Würgern,
Der Girl-Robber, Der Boer van het Roer and the Stuttgart's
newspaper novel Scepter und Hammer. From the included chapter
Der tolle Prinz a serious break with Emma Pollmer could be concluded,
whom May immortilized there as Emma Vollmer, who was unfaithful to her
sweetheart.

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 185

1880

January: »May,
Dr. Karl …« is mentioned for the first time in ›Allgemeinen Deutschen
Literaturkalender‹. 19th February: The intended marriage
announcement of Karl May and Emma Pollmer was made public in Hohenstein. The
notice was in place from 20th February until 7th March. May:
The ›Deutsche Hausschatz‹ reports for the first time, that the ›I narrator‹
of the travel adventures is identical with the author Karl May – he
experienced all himself. 26th May: Emma's grandfather
Christian Gotthilf Pollmer dies after a stroke in Hohenstein. And on the
27th May dies May's older sister Auguste Wilhelmine, married Hoppe, of blood
disorder. Because of these fatal blows – probably also because of
differences in opinions – the official marriage of Karl May and Emma Pollmer
does not take place until the 17th August. 12th September:
Church wedding in the Hohenstein church of St. Christopheri, followed by
moving into a house ›Am Markt 2‹.Publications worth mentioning from this
year: Deadly Dust, Der Brodnik, Die Juweleninsel, Der Kiang-lu, Tui Fanua.

Ernstthal,Marktplatz 185

HohensteinAm Markt 2

1881

January:
In the Hausschatz – the travel story Giölgeda padishanün –
later the Durch die Wüste and volumes to follow – appears for
the the first time in a personal form [I narrator] Kara Ben Nemsi and
his servant Hadschi Halef Omar. This Orient cycle is literary only
surpassed by his late years works. March: The ›Deutsche
Hausschatz‹ writes in No. 9 an answer to a reader in Westfalen: »The
author of the adventure travel stories visited himself all the countries
which are the scenes of his narratives. He returned recently from a
journey to Russia, Bulgaria, Constantinopel etc., and even suffered a
knife wound as a souvenir. He however does not enjoy to travel with the
red Bädecker [travel guidebook] in hand and via railway compartment, but
seeks the less known routes. – Many thanks for your greetings!«
November 1881: The newspaper ›Le Monde‹ starts to print French
translation of May's books.

Hohenstein,Am Markt 2

1882

May works
intensively on his Orient cycle for ›Deutscher Hausschatz‹. The
Reise-Abenteuer in Kurdistan as well as Die Todeskaravane
make him very succesful. The final chapters of his Juweleninsel
for the Stuttgarter publisher Goeltz & Ruehling he writes without
enthusiasm; the novel finishes accordingly. In late summer
Karl and Emma May spend time on a holiday tour in Dresden-Altstadt. In
Renger's restaurant it comes to a predestined meeting with an old
acquaintance the publisher Heirich Münchmeyer. From this meeting develops
a several years lasting business relation. A contract is cofirmed with
handshake. May should write a gripping serial novel for a remunaration of
35 Marks per delivery. As soon as the edition reaches 20.000 prints, May
should in addition receive a nice gratification, and further the
ownership's rights. May starts at first sporadicaly with the
Waldröschen:

»Dear
Madam! I shall be very thankful to you, if you could
induce your dear husband, whom I have the honour to call my trusted
friend, to send to me the manuscript, to be precise 3 numbers per week.
Now is the best time to publish the small work. I have the first number
ready, yet I cannot publish it as I cannot deliver more without a
manuscript. I have done well for your husband. I have
given him about 500 Marks already for this little work, and he is so
ungrateful and lets me just sit and yet he calls himself my best friend in
his letters and promises me pies in the sky, does not however keep a word
of his promises. I believe he listens to you, because he
loves you, as he always claims. I turn therefore with confidence to you
and think of you as my saviour angel, who should redeem me from my
expensive and highly dangerous situation. My wife sends her cordial
greetings and is asking together with me for your help. I send my very
cordial greetings, and sign myself with familiar respect,
Your sincerest H.G.Münchmeyer Dresden the 20 October
1882.«

With fair confidence May travels at the
beginning of February in Dresden to visit Münchmeyer. Emma follows later.
Between her and the publisher's wife Pauline develops an intimate frienship.
6th April: Emma May's friend from youth Ida Metzer holds in her Hohenstein's
flat a seance. 7th April: Moving from Hohenstein to
Dresden-Blasewitz. In the Blasewitz local resident's list May is recorded as
»Literat und Redacteur«. Most probably the »Redacteur« is editing together
with Münchmeyer the ›Deutsche Wanderer‹. It should be of the same quality as
both the by me founded in 1875 popular magazines. In the ›Wanderer‹ appears
at the end of September, now for the fee of 50 Marks, Die Liebe des
Ulanen. May authored in this productive year further:
Stambul, Im »wilden Westen« Nordamerika's, Der
Amsenhändler, Pandur und Grenadier. He has to decline a
cooperation with Joseph Kürschner (Publisher of Literary Calender) for lack
of time.

Hohenstein,Am Markt 2

Dresden-Blasewitz,Sommerstr. 7

1884

Presumably at
the beginning of April May moves with his wife Emma in Prinzenstrasse 4.
With the end of Waldröschen he starts in August another popular
novel for Münchmeyer: Der verlorne Sohn oder der Fürst des Elends.
The work for the ›Deutscher Hausschatz‹ gets on hold. Der letzte Ritt,
part of the Orient cycle, is from middle of December interrupted for half
a year; the readers and the editor's board are annoyed.

Dresden-Blasewitz,Sommerstr. 7

Dresden-Altstadt,Prinzenstr. 4

1885

15th April: May's mother dies from a
tumour, presumably a cancer. About a month later May's father suffers a
stroke. Delivery of manuscripts is out during these misfortune blows.
Die Liebe des Ulanen stays for four weeks without a continuation. As a
makeshift solution appear parts of the des verlornen Sohn under the title
Ulane und Zouave as a fragment in the ›Deutsche Wanderer‹. In June
May's psyche has recovered so far that he is able to carry on writing; he
even continues in summer for a few months his Orient cycle. His Ulanen-novel
finishes in October. At X-mas starts his fourth Münchmeyer novel
Deutsche Herzen, deutsche Helden.

Dresden-Altstadt,Prinzenstr. 4

1886

27th February: May's former Prison Institution
catholic teacher Kochta dies. Towards the end of July
finishes May's verlorner Sohn. In order to publish immediately a
follow up novel, about the middle of June about 50 manuscript pages of the
novel Delila came into existence. Almost at the same time died under
mysterious circumstances on the 13th June King Ludwig II. of Bavaria – for a
popular novels publisher sensational news. May interrupts therefore
Delila (a fragment remains) and writes a novel about the fairy tale
king: Der Weg zum Glück. This should be his last Münchmeyer novel.
At the end of the year he begins a novel for young readers Der Sohn des
Bärenjägers for the Stuttgarter publisher Spemann.

»My
dear doctor!I expected you on Sunday evening with a big load of
manuscripts, but in vain. It upset me and made me worried as for me it is a
question of my existence. If you do not deliver enough and on time I will
loose my with difficulties subscribed readers which costs much money.
Engage a stenographer! If you dictate through one night, you have 4 – 5
numbers of a manuscript on paper and that will help me. I
have fulfilled almost every wish to you and beg therefore now you to fulfill
my wish. Please bring me luck tomorrow morning because then with those
already here will make circa 66 issues. My greetings,
sincerely H. G. Münchmeyer Dresden 21st November 1887.«

About beginning of April: Moving to
Schnorrstrasse 31. Middle August May starts to write Durch das Land der
Skipetaren; this travel story represents the end of the Orient cycle in
›Deutscher Hausschatz‹.

Dresden-Altstadt,Prinzenstr. 4

Schnorrstr. 31

1888

Beginning
of January finishes the Münchmeyer novel Deutsche Herzen, deutsche
Helden. May does not allow himself rest – he writes a story for young
readers Der Geist der Llano estakada. In the middle of January
the ›Hausschatz‹ starts to print the Skipetaren-travel story.
Beginning February starts Der Geist der Llano … in ›Guten
Kameraden‹. On the 6th September dies after a long illness
May's father. Change of editor's board at ›Deutscher Hausschatz‹ in
Regensburg: The towards May positively disposed Venanz Müller is followed
by Heinrich Keiter – a selfadmiring personality with his own writer's
ambitions: »The battle about the novels of travel narrator
Carl May is being hotly pursued by our readers. Whilst one part complains
to the editors with severe criticism that the novels take such a large
space which could be used more usefuly, the others in no less certain
terms say that right at the beginning of the new year's edition a story by
Carl May should start again. The editors are then forced to go the middle
golden way to satisfy both sides.« 1st October: Moving
from Dresden to Kötzschenbroda into a Villa Idylle, Schützenstrasse 6.
12th October: May enters his name into the local resident's list as »Dr.
phil. Karl May, writer«. Further publications in this
year: Kong-Kheou, das Ehrenwort, and also Der Scout.

Dresden-Altstadt,Schnorrstr. 31

Kötzschenbroda,Schützenstr. 6Villa Idylle

1889

Presumably
early in spring Karl and Emma May get to know the married pair Plöhn.
Richard Plöhn, the owner of a bandages manufacturing factory becames May's
best friend, and Plöhn's wife Klara – in the following years Emma's best
friend – will play an important role in May's life. Karl May authored in
this work-productive year about 3770 manuscript pages!
Publications: Die Sklavenkarawane, Im Mistake-Cannon, Sklavenrache, Lopez Jordan.

Kötzschenbroda,Schützenstr. 6Villa Idylle

1890

14th
January: May's landslady charged him in local court in Dresden for
non-payment of rent. The outstanding quaterly rent (200 Marks) for the
expensive Villa Idylle stays unpaid despite May's intensive writing. His
household servant girl had to be dismissed on the 19th March.
Presumably at the beginning of April: moving to Niederlößnitz,
Lößnitzstrasse 11. Important publications: Christus oder Muhammed,
Der Schatz im Silbersee, Der Schatz der Inkas.
At the end of October appears in book edition Der Sohn des
Bärenjägers, according to the title page Die Helden des Westens
(included into the volume is Der Geist des Llano estakado), at
the Stuttgart ›Union Deutsche Verlagsanstalt‹.

Niederlößnitz,Lößnitzstr. 11

1891

8th April: Moving to Oberlößnitz into Villa Agnes, Nizzastrasse 13.

28th May: »… the wife of Dr.May woke
up because of ground floor noise. She woke up her husband, who went
immediately down where he found to his surprise …. all the cupboards and
drawers open and the content partly strewn on the floor. The intruder also
left an axe on the bed. There was no trace of the thief himself who forced
his way into the room by bursting open a window shutter and breaking several
window panes …«. [Kötzschenbrodaer Zeitung from 30th May] In
late summer negotiated the publisher Friedrich Ernst Fehsenfeld from
Freiburg im Breisgau with May about the publishing of ›Hausschatz‹ stories
in a book edition. A historical moment.

In loveable, nice Lößnitzgrundthere sit
two in solitude;they enter into friendshipbond,never part their ways
again.One sends the novels in,The other has them printedAnd the
end is a happy note;Both will be mightily lucky![Karl May to
Friedrich Ernst Fehsenfeld]

November: Karl and Emma May take into
their home the nine-year old niece Clara (›Lottel‹) Selbmann.
Important publications in newspapers: Das Vermächtnis des Inka
(Kamerad), Der Mahdi (Hausschatz).

In summer Emma
associates secretly with Army officers. May's niece Lottel tells all to
her uncle. It comes to marital discord. Further life together of Emma and
May's niece is not possible. In August Lottel is taken home by her mother,
May's sister Karoline. From September the ›Hausschatz‹
starts with the 2nd part of Mahdi. At Union Publishers appears in October
the book edition Kong-Kheu, das Ehrenwort under the title Der
blau-rote Methusalem.

Oberlößnitz,Nizzastraße 13Villa Agnes

1893

June:
Karl and Emma travel in Schwarzwald [Black Forest]. They take the
opportunity to visit publisher Fehsenfeld and his wife; together they go
to Switzerland into Bönigen am Brienzer See. On the 17th September May
writes to his publisher Fehsenfeld:

Your
anger is justified, however I am not that much at fault, as you think. The
main reason that I cannot finish anything is my present as to the previous
very much increased nervousness, to which my wife does not pay the
slightest consideration, and then a more familiar, about which I cannot
write. My wife became since the unfortunate trip completely different. … I
am as the result of domestic quarrel now always so knocked down, that I
often look at the wall over my writing desk, where a loaded revolver
hangs. One needs after all peace, one way or the other!

On the
26th November May writes to Fehsenfeld that because of his eye afliction
he was »shortly twice in Leipzig». Book editions at
Fehsenfeld: Winnetou der Rote Gentleman (3 volumes, the
postscript: »der Rote Gentleman« was later omitted), Orangen und
Datteln.Important newspaper publications: Der Oelprinz,
Die Felsenburg (later Satan und Ischariot I). And one
more book edition at the Union: Die Sklavenkarawane.

Oberlößnitz,Nizzastraße 13Villa Agnes

1894

March: May
suffers from influenza with inflammation of the rip cartilages. Also his
eyes make him worried. Beginning of May he travels with Emma for rest into
Harz. His state of health is not good; because of that he has to use the
services of a secretary. (May in a letter to Fehsenfeld from 9th May).
Presumably in summer May writes about himself as ›Old Shatterhand‹ the
following part for Old Surehand I:I was born as a sick, weak child,
who still at the age of six years crawled on the ground, not being able to
stand or run … I was blind three times … [S. 41f.] This is most
probably a small poetic exaggeration, but behind this could be hidden
May's fear from new blidness. From September appears in ›Deutsche
Hausschatz‹ Krüger Bei (later Satan und Ischariot II); there the readers
at X-mas learn about Winnetou's visit at the Dresden's choir! A 440
manuscript pages containing a chapter In der Heimath is crossed out by
Heinrich Keiter. October: In the house of Münchmeyer's widow May asks
for the long outstanding settlement of his five Münchmeyer's novels. Later
he receives a set of bound volumes of the published novels. The original
manuscripts of the Münchmeyer's novels are no longer in existence, they
were destroyed as superfluous. 27th November: Pauline Münchmeyer pleads
for a new novel, if possible the Delila (1886) should be continued. May
refuses! Fehsenfeld book editions: Am Stillen Ocean,
Am Rio de la
Plata, In den Cordilleren, Old Surehand I. Further book editions:
Die
Rose von Kairwan (Wehberg, Osnabrück), Der Schatz im Silbersee (Union)..

Oberlößnitz,Nizzastraße 13Villa Agnes

1895

This year the in Lawrence/USA living Ferdinand
Pfefferkorn visits with his wife the former schoolfriend Karl May.The
Pfefferkorns are dedicated spiritualists. Seances are held at May's house,
at which most probably were present the befriended pair Plöhn's. 23
December: Bought a new Villa! [for 37.300 mark] Yesterday moved in with
new furniture! Day and night to write manuscripts! [May to Carl Felber]
3oth December: The official sales contract for the Villa »Shatterhand.« in
Radebeul, Kirchstrasse 5, (today Karl-May-Straße) is signed. Book
editions: Old Surehand II. (Fehsenfeld), Das Vermächtnis des Inka (Union).

Oberlößnitz,Nizzastraße 13Villa Agnes

1896

March/April: Karl May takes
possession of the ›Silberbüchse‹ [Silver rifle] and the ›Bärentöter‹ [Bear
Killer] from Dresden gunsmith Max Fuchs made to order. He will document
with these the genuineness of his travels, to forget at the same time his
sad past. May could use publicity exercise like a modern showstar.

Easter: The amateur photographer
Alois Schießer, who arrived from Linz, took 101 costume shots with Karl May
as ›Old Shatterhand‹ and ›Kara Ben Nemsi‹. The ›Old Shatterhand Legend‹
reaches its highest point; many Karl May Clubs are founded. In summer,
presumably in July, Heinrich Keiter visits the succesful writer. He
apologises personally for crossing out the Heimath chapter in Krüger Bei.
May declared previously that he will not supply the ›Deutscher Hausschatz‹.
At the end of September appears in ›Hausschatz‹ May's Freuden und Leiden
eines Vielgelesenen:The night, often two, three nights one after the
other, without then being able to sleep during the day, is in general my
working time, because of the many visitors, coming daily, to personally get
to know »their« Old Shatterhand resp. Kara Ben Nemsi Effendi.

.

In ›Guten Kameraden‹ is from
September published May's last novel for young people Der schwarze
Mustang. Book editions at Fehsenfeld: Der Mahdi (3 volumes),
Old
Surehand III, Satan und Ischariot I–III.

Radebeul,Kirchstraße 5Villa »Shatterhand.«

HeuteKarl-May-Museum

1897

26th
January: »Herr Keiter, who will in the future abstain from any literary
interference in your manuscripts, begins in the 8th issue of ›Hausschatz‹
with your new and so keenly expected travel story ›Im Reiche des silbernen
Löwen‹ … Hopefuly you will please us soon with a continuation of the most
interesting manuscripts.« [Friedrich Pustet jun. to Karl May]
Presumably in early spring May composed music to Ave Maria of Winnetou's
dying wish. From May until July Karl und Emma travel through Germany and
Austria. Places they visit are: Leipzig, Hamburg, Deidesheim (they pay a
visit there to the family of befriended wine merchant Seyler), Stuttgart,
Bodensee, Innsbruck, Achensee, Munich, Regensburg, Böhmen. The stay in
Munich turned out to be the highlight of the publicity tour:

On the
first day over 900 visitors, second day over 600, third again 800. Towards
the evening I went out through the side door and ran away. The high school
students who were after an autogram stood in such great numbers before the
hotel, that the tramway could not get through and they had to be sprayed
away with a water hose. It's a fact! [Letter to Fehsenfeld from 27th July]

22
February: Her Imperial Highness Archduchess Maria Therese gives an
audience to Karl May. 6th May: In Gartow (Lower Saxony)
May was seized by two Policemen; he is not to leave his hotel room. He
is considered to be a swindler, because he gives for smallest services
rich tips. In the end news came from Radebeul: »Karl May domiciled here,
likes to exercise charity.« On 30th August dies Heirich Keiter;
Dr.Otto Denk takes over his editorial position at ›Deutsche Hausschatz‹.
At this time it also comes to a nine years split with ›Wochenblatt‹; a
catholic opposition against May comes into existence. Book editions
at Fehsenfeld: Im Reiche des silbernen Löwen I–II. Further appear
Ernste
Klänge, a publication with both May's music compositions Ave Maria and
Vergiß mich nicht!

Radebeul,Kirchstraße 5Villa »Shatterhand.«

1899

During the
months January till March May finishes his novel Am Jenseits; he finds
himself on the best way to fine literature. Do you read the printer's
proofs of Volume 25? Yes? Than you would have noticed, that Karl May
starts now to come out with his own intentions. It is a question of well
prepared, great movement from the religious – social field … The volumes
up to now were written only for one purpose, to gather as many as possible
readers as working field. [May to Fehsenfeld, 13th March] 16th March:
Pauline Münchmeyer sells the Publishing firm to Adalbert Fischer, who is
interested in particular in May's popular literature novels. 26th
March: Departure for Orient. Importen visited places: Genua (4th April –
farewell from Emma and the Plöhn's couple because of health reasons), Port
Said (9th April), Cairo (30th April – May hires there little later the
Arab servant Sejd Hassan), Beirut (26th June), Haifa (18th July),
Jerusalem (30th July), Jaffa (21st August – 2nd September), Aden/South
Arabia (15th September). Many liked me on the ship [›Gera‹] even if I am
just now the opposite from the previous Karl. He was with a great ceremony
drown by me in the Red See, with ship's coal, which took him right to the
bottom … [Letter to Plöhn's from 16th September]. 10th November:
Arrival in Padang on Sumatra. May suffers from emotinal outbursts, refuses
all nourishment and should have acted insane – it is possible he suffered
from dysentery. Nothing is known for sure. This state lasts for about a
week. 22nd November: May sends a telegram from Padang to Radebeul; he
asks Emma to come with the Plöhns to Port Said. 11th Dezember: May is
quarantined because of danger of diseases and suspicion of plague. On the
18th December he is allowed to leave Port Said. His friend Richard Plöhn,
who suffers from Bright's kidney disease, becomes in the meanwile
seriously ill and stays with Klara and Emma in Arenzano (20 km west of
Genoa). In Germany in the meantime began fierce press attacks against
May; in particular Dr. Fedor Mamroth (Frankfurter Zeitung) and Hermann
Cardauns (Koelnische Volkszeitung) criticised May's selfpromotion and the
connected with it Old Shatterhand legend. The argument, started somewhat
objectively at first, became in following years polemic, upright
malicious: a witch hunt to death begins. Book edition: Am Jenseits
[Fehsenfeld], Der schwarze Mustang [Union].

Radebeul,Kirchstraße 5Villa »Shatterhand.«

1900

Karl and Emma May as well as Richard and Klara
Plöhn stay in Arenzano until the 14th March; then the journey takes them
to Pisa, Rome, Naples, Port Said. Cairo, Gizeh, Jaffa, Jerusalem, Hebron,
Jericho, Tiberias, Nazareth, Haifa, Lebanon, Baalbek, Damascus amd Cyprus.

In
Instanbul May suffered again from emotional outbursts. Klara Plöhn was
worried that »one would have to take him into a mental institution«! May's
later wife certainly possessed a flair for colorful description of events
and might have here a little exaggerated. The conclusion of the trip
was: Coprinth, Bologna, Athens, Corfu, Venice and Bozen. 25th March:
The Münchmeyer's successor Adalbert Fischer disregards May's author's
right and puts a new edition of Die Liebe des Ulanen on the market.The
other four Muenchmeyr's novels should follow shortly, partly reworked by
writer Paul Staberow. 17th June: May says tearful goodby to his servant
Sejd Hassan. 31st July: Arrival in Radebeul after 15 months of absence.
Karl May became a new person – the Old Shatterhand legend is dead. Only
love of humanity and reconciliation of nations are from now his great
ideals; also in private life he is restrained: the sexuality of Emma is
not capable to have an hold on him.All my writings so far are just an
introduction, only preparation. What I really want, no person knows except
myself … only now I start my proper task … [May's letter to his publiher
Fehsenfeld from 10th September] In time for X-mas festivities appears
May's volume of poems Himmelsgedanken.

Radebeul,Kirchstraße 5Villa »Shatterhand.«

1901

14th
February: May's friend Richard Plöhn dies of renal disease. His wife Klara
is shattered; she is now a permanent guest in the Villa »Shatterhand.«
For Joseph Kürschner May writes his pacifist novel Et in terra pax. With
that May undermines the imperialistic tendency – the hurrah-patriotism of
the collected work ›China‹ in which his text appears. End of September
May travels with Emma and Klara in Switzerland to Vierwaldstaetter See. In
autum he writes as an answer to polemic press attacks an anonymous
pamphlet »Karl May als Erzieher« and »Die Wahrheit über Karl May«. 10th
December May is sueing Adalbert Fischer for unauthorized reprint of his
Münchmeyer novels.

Radebeul,Kirchstraße 5Villa »Shatterhand.«

1902

At the
beginning of the year the editor from Cologne Hermann Cardauns holds
several anti-May lectures, in which he describes May's Münchmeyer novels
as »abysmally immoral«. 10th March: Karl May takes to court Pauline
Münchmeyer, against the will of his wife Emma who is her intimate friend.
On the 16th March May engaged barrister Rudolf Bernstein to ask the
accused Pauline Münchmeyer for the following

to state the number of copies of Karl May's
works, which were printed and circulated by Münchmeyer Publishing House
to the 16th March 1899

the account of net profits and

to pay a gratification, if more than 20.000
numbers were printed.

In summer
travel Karl May, Emma and Klara through Berlin, Hamburg, Leipzig and
Munich to Bozen and finally to Mendel. In the Hotel Penegal on 21st August
ends the marriage of Karl May with Emma words: »You take the guy, I've had
enough of him!« More detailed circumstances which in the end led to the
divorce, so far are not satisfactorily researched. One can suppose that
the way Emma behaved through her change of life years, turned out to be
difficult; also signs of increasing psychological disturbance are possible
(Emma died on 13th December 1917 in an Institution). She was also prone to
fits of rage, which were directed against Karel May and were making the
survival of the marriage impossible. Unquestionably Klara Plöhn willingly
chose the favourable time. Finally however in Karl and Klara two people
found each other who suited better together. 19th August: Emma May
signs divorce papers. 10th September: May lodges in Radebeul the
divorce documents. Fehsenfeld's book edition: Im Reiche des silbernen
Löwen III.

Radebeul,Kirchstraße 5Villa »Shatterhand.«

1903

14th January:
May's marriage was dissolved. 4th March: The divorce became legally
valid. 30th March: Wedding of Karl May and Klara Plöhn at registrar's
office. A day later follows a church wedding in the Lutheran church at
Radebeul. 25th May: At Adalbert Fischer [Publisher] appears May's
Erzgebirgische Dorfgeschichten. 3rd November: Emma receives from May a
yearly income of 3000 Mark; for that she has to live at least 100 km away
from Dresden – she moves to Weimar. Beginning November the Münchmeyer's
lawyer Dr. Gerlach succeds in bringing in May's criminal records. The
result comes on 8th November. May becomes seriously ill: High fever with
heart weakness. Fehsenfeld's book edition: Im Reiche des silbernen
Löwen IV.

Radebeul,Kirchstraße 5Villa »Shatterhand.«

1904

8th March: Karl and Klara May visit in Meißen
the artist painter Sascha Schneider. He should provide the whole
Fehsenfeld's edition with different title pages, to stress in particular
the artistic, pacifist values of his writings – a clear turn away from
the so called ›Author for young people‹.

Middle
of September appears Et in terra pax in Fehnsenfeld's enlarged book
edition under the title Und Friede auf Erden! 26th September: Pauline
Münchmeyer is obliged to produce accounts, as soon as Karl May provides
a sworn statement. X-mas: As a revenge for refused loan, which the
unscrupulous press-bandid Rudolf Lebius sought to get from May, shout
from the shopwindows of Dresden's bookshops big placards, on which is
from far visible announcement in red huge letters: »The Previous
Convictions of Karl May«.

Radebeul,Kirchstraße 5Villa »Shatterhand.«

1905

Early in
the year appears as a private print May's view on the [Münchmeyer's]
affair Ein Schundverlag. There he reports on his time with Heinrich
Münchmeyer. In 1909 will also appear as a private print Ein Schundverlag
und seine Helfershelfer. On the 3rd October is May's complaint of
slander by Lebius dealt with before the Dresden' country court. Through a
tactical mistake of May's lawyer Klotz, public reading from previous
convictions record of Karl May was allowed. In the same month May
visits in Dresden a lecture by the Nobel peace prize winner Bertha von
Suttner, a friendship develops between them.

9th January:
May wins at the [German] Reich court in Leipzig the Münchmeyer process in
3rd session. About the repayment of damages is yet to be decided. May's
legal representative Rudolf Netcke put a sum to the Waldröschen alone to
250.000 Mark! On 11th Februar May gave the following sworn statement:

I
swear in the name of the Omnipotent and Omniscient God1. I have, after
I accidently met in 1882 the deceased Heinrich Gotthold Münchmeyer in a
restaurant in Dresden, promised to write a novel for him, namely the
WALDRÖSCHEN under following conditions:The novel should appear under a
pseudonym and should be printed and distributed only up to 20.000 prints.
As compensation I should receive for every issue 35 mark and apart from
that, when the authorized number of prints is reached, once more a fine
gratification.Besides I should keep the right to include the novel
into my collected works.2. These stipulations were carried over later
to the novels DEUTSCHE HERZEN UND HELDEN, DER VERLONERE SOHN und DER WEG
ZUM GLÜCK, however with the stipulation that the remunaration for each
print of the named novels will be not only 35, but 50 Mark.3. With
regard to the novel DIE LIEBE DES ULANEN I agreed in 1883 with Münchmeyer
that I will allow him to print the novel only in the 1884 edition of
»Deutscher Wanderer«.4. The same has been agreed with Münchmeyer about
six stories from 1875 and 1884 AUS DER MAPPE EINES VIELGEREISTEN
(INN-NU-WOH and OLD FIREHAND), EIN STÜCKLEIN VOM ALTEN DESSAUER, DIE
FASTNACHTSNARREN, UNTER WERBERN, DER GITANO and DIE POLIN [WANDA] that one
print only in one particular year's edition is to be published.5. I
have not agreed with Münchmeyer in regard to 1 – 4 of my works that he
after once only payment will get unrestricted publishing rights.In
this help me God.

7th April: The Münchmeyer's successor Adalbert
Fischer dies. On the 15th April 1907 reports the Münchmeyer's lawyer
Dr.Gerlach May and his associates for perjury. The reproach is proven
untenable. 8th October: Inheritors of the publisher Fischer declare in
a settlement, »that the in the publishing house H. G. Münchmeyer printed
novels of writer Karl May suffered over a period of time through
insertions and changes by a third hand such changes, that in their present
form cannot be considered any longer as to be authored by Karl May.« The
author's name Karl May is taken away from the famously notorious five
Münchmeyer's novels and can be from now on printed solely anonymously.

Münchmeyer's succesor … has made such changes that between the old and his
new edition a difference of hundreds of pages appeared. This is after all
just horrible! If some person would dare to cut and paintbrush pictures of
a painter or to hack and chisel statues of a sculptor and offer such
mutilations for sale as originals, the whole Presscorp would take the
cause of the injured artist and brand the falsificator in such way that he
would not be able to show his face again. [Karl May: Ein Schundverlag, p.
852f.]

13th September: Meeting with the Hausschatz editor Otto Denk.
After nine years May is ready to write again for the ›Deutscher
Hausschatz‹. Immediately he starts with a draft for 'Mir von
Dschinnistan. By this he makes a move into fine literature. With the
readers of ›Hausschatz‹, who expected the old travel stories full of
action as before, this novel finds little approval. At the end of the
year May writes Frau Pollmer, eine psychologische Studie, in which he
tries in vain to write himself free from his first wife. This text stays
unprinted. Fom October appears in the Regensburg newspaper ›Efeuranken‹
the travel tale Schamah.

Radebeul,Kirchstraße 5Villa »Shatterhand.«

1908

8th March: In his last will May establishes a
charitable foundation. 23rd March till 23rd April: In ›Grazer
Volksblatt‹ appears Abdahn Effendi. The anthropologist and sexual
researcher F. S. Krauss visits May and names him »a blessing for
humanity«. In this year Karl May with his Klara undertake the first and
only trip to America. The places visited: Bremen (5th September), New York
(16th September), Albany (22/23rd September), Buffalo (end of September),
Niagara Falls (beginning of October), Lawrence/Massachusetts at school
friend Pfefferkorn (October), Boston and New York (November).

On 4th November Mays are presumably again in
Radebeul. Beginning of December they stay for a short time in London.

Radebeul,Kirchstraße 5Villa »Shatterhand.«

1909

31st
July: May's Merhameh appears in ›Eichsfelder Marienkalender 1910‹.
September: Dr. Adof Droop publishes a study: »Karl May. An analysis of his
travel stories«. 22nd November: Rudolf Lebius write to a friend of Emma
the opera singer Selma vom Scheidt that he considers Karl May »to be a
born criminal«. 17th December: Karl May lodges a complaint at the
magistrate court Berlin-Charlottengurg against Lebius for slander. 8th
December: May has a lecture in Augsburg Sitara, das Land der
Menscheitsseele. Fehsenfeld book editions: Ardistan und Dshninnistan I
and II.

Radebeul,Kirchstraße 5Villa »Shatterhand.«

1910

10th January:
Karl May starts a legal prosecution against Rudolf Lebius for the worst
kind of slander because of his article »Hinter den Kulissen« [Behind the
Scene] published in the weekly magazine ›Der Bund‹ on 19th Dcember 1909.
Lebius claimed May had for years lived in a forest as a chief robber,
commited daily breakings, raids on market women, sexualy misused his nine
years old niece and strangled the grandfather of his first wife Emma!
May's frequent illnesses, made worse by the character assassinations, led
in the end to the writer's death. Main court proceedings never eventuated.
According to law experts Lebius would have been sentenced to jail term.
On 12th April Lebius was found firstly not guilty with regard to slander
action (complaint from 17 December 1909) in the letter to Selma vom
Scheidt; May appealed. 12th May: I do not deny that I came into
conflict with the law 40 or 50 years ago and was punished for it; but what
I did then in the deepest mental depression and coerced state [of mind]
would be in the present, more enlightened time heard not by a judge, but a
physician. My opponents bring this up and put cunning lies to it. There
are five legal proceedings underway from which the truth will come out.
[May in a letter to Peter Rosegger] In August of 1910 Dr. E. A. Schmid
was a guest for a few days at the »Villa Shatterhand.«. After May’s death,
as a Director of the ›Karl-May-Verlag‹ [Publishing House], he widely and
with great effort made generally known May’s views. Fehsenfeld book
editions: Winnetou IV, Mein Leben und Streben. Almost simultaneously with
May's autobiography Rudolf Lebius published »Die Zeugen Karl und Klara
May«, – a pamphlet of the worst kind! Because of reciprocal objections
both May's autobiography and also the Lebius pamphlet were banned.

Radebeul,Kirchstraße 5Villa »Shatterhand.«

1911

8th May:
Again very sick, I write to you only very shortly. I have
overestimated my strength, lung inflammation and physical strain of
wittness proceedings made me completely kaputt … I must go to a
spa, I leave already on Thursday. [Karl May to lawyer Haubold].
11th May: Departure in Joachimsthal. Dr. Gottlieb ordered bathing. From
the middle of June till end of July Karl and Klara May spent in South
Tirol on recreational holiday. On the Mendel his state of health becomes
worse again. 18th December: In an appeal proceedings
(complaint from 17th December 1909) Rudolf Lebius is found guilty of
slander and given 100 Mark penalty to pay.

Radebeul,Kirchstraße 5Villa »Shatterhand.«

1912

25th Februay: May celebrates his seventies
birthday. Beginning March May travels for the last time in
Hohenstein-Ernstthal. He visits there his sister Wilhelmine Schöne; their
niece Ilse receives from him for the beginning of school a large cone full
of lollies. 22nd March: Karl May delivers a lecture in
Vienna at the invitation of »Akademischen Verbandes für Literatur und
Musik« in front of over 2000 listeners, his big peace address is entitled
Empor ins Reich der Edelmenschen. Amongst the present is Bertha von
Suttner. 30th March: Karl May dies around 8 PM in his
Villa »Shatterhand.« His breathing stopped, presumably as a result of
lung disease. The big heart became still. May's funeral follows on 3rd
April at Radebeul's cemetery.